Los Angeles voters cast their ballots to fill the District 6 City Council seat left vacant by Nury Martinez’s resignation. Imelda Padilla led the race, capturing 25.66% of the vote and securing a spot in what appears to be a forthcoming runoff. Her closest competitor, Marisa Alcaraz, trailed closely with 21.13% of the vote, leaving the race for second place in a state of suspense as final results were tallied.
District 6, which encompasses neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley such as Sun Valley, Van Nuys, and Panorama City, has been without permanent representation since Martinez resigned in October 2022 amid scandal. The vacancy prompted this off-cycle special election to restore representation for the district’s more than 250,000 residents.
Despite the high stakes, voter engagement was strikingly low. Out of the registered voters in the district, only 7.67% participated in the election, amounting to just 9,085 ballots processed. Analysts pointed to voter apathy, lack of public awareness, and limited outreach as possible causes for the poor turnout.
While Padilla held a clear lead, the battle for the second runoff slot was considerably tighter. Candidates Rose Grigoryan and Marco Santana trailed closely behind Alcaraz, creating a scenario where final certified tallies or provisional ballots could potentially alter the outcome. This competition underscored the fragmented nature of the vote, with no single candidate receiving more than 30% support.
“The race for second place and a spot in a likely runoff remained tight between Marisa Alcaraz, Rose Grigoryan, and Marco Santana,” noted one election observer, reflecting the unpredictability in the final days of ballot counting.
Padilla, a community advocate with strong ties to local education and workforce programs, ran on a platform centered around equity, public safety, and economic opportunity. Her ability to mobilize her base and appeal to working-class voters helped distinguish her in a crowded field of contenders.
As the city prepares for a potential runoff election, likely between Padilla and one of the three closely matched opponents, attention will shift to how candidates plan to increase voter engagement. The race has exposed the challenge of energizing constituents in special elections and emphasized the importance of representation in a district historically impacted by underinvestment and political instability.
